San Antonio Tricentennial to support 1,300 full-time jobs

Hotels, restaurants, retailers, entertainment industries expected to benefit

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio is expecting big economic impacts as a result of its 300th birthday celebration in 2018.

Results from a study prepared by Dr. Steven Nivin, with the SABER Research Institute, were released Wednesday, which included good news for those in the job market.

About 1,300 full-time positions are anticipated to be created to support Tricentennial initiatives.

"We expect all the activities to generate wages and benefits of $45 million and have an overall economic impact in the local economy of $119 million," San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor said during a news conference.

Hotel, restaurant, retail, entertainment, service and many other employers should be beefing up their staff to accommodate the 263,000 additional visitors coming to the Alamo City for Tricentennial celebrations.

So will the jobs go beyond 2018?

"There's a possibility that many of the jobs, I don't know that all of the jobs, but many of the jobs may be able to be sustained beyond that year. We hope so. That will be our goal," Taylor said.

Excitement is growing as city, county and Tricentennial Commission leaders prepare citywide, year-long celebrations that will focus on four initiatives: arts and culture, history and education, community service and commemorative week.

"Hopefully creating jobs, hopefully driving up our wages, hopefully creating unique opportunities we have not seen here in the past, it will give everyone a chance to be successful," said Robert Thrailkill, Tricentennial Commission president.

The goal is to showcase all San Antonio has to offer, so Tricentennial visitors may become permanent residents and the city can continue to prosper, perhaps for the next 300 years.

There is still time to become a Tricentennial partner. The application deadline has been extended to March 1. For more information, click here or call 210-207-2300.

Impact Study SA 300

Economic Impact Report SA 300